Kitchen Remodel: Open and spacious

By Alison Stucke

WhenJenny Mertz and Mark Anderson purchased their home four years ago in the Congdon area of Duluth, they loved many aspects of the property the first time they saw it.

“We had been trying to find a house all summer,” Mertz explained. “When we saw this home, we immediately jumped on it. It’s a great location for walking the dog. You feel like you’re in the country even though you’re in the city.”

However, some parts of the home were ready for a change, so Jenny knew some remodeling would be part of the plan.

“It’s a classic ranch house,” she said. “When we bought it, it was a little outdated, and so we have been slowly updating through the years.”

In late summer and fall of 2018, it was time to remodel the kitchen.

The fireplace sports a very sleek and modern look with a white shiplap backdrop -- nothing like the concrete block and brick from the 1960s that was removed.

Extra tasks required in the kitchen re-design by Kelly Smith from Maureen's LLC, were bumping out the pantry and moving over the entryway to the garage about five feet.

“We kind of knew that we wanted two walls removed and that we wanted an open concept, but we didn’t know what that would end up looking like,” she explained. “Kelly from Maureen’s drew up a couple designs and we decided on the design that we loved. Shawn from K&W Builders, his crew did all of the work, and they were amazing.”

“Jenny really likes to use the kitchen and to entertain,” Kelly Smith, AKBD, from Maureen’s explained. “I wanted them to be able to function this way while keeping things feeling uncluttered and spacious. My goal was to open walls to create a dialog between the living and cooking spaces, melding them together with an entertainment area. Taking walls away from an already small kitchen footprint further reduced the way we typically see items stored in wall cabinets. We had to be clever about layout and accessibility, as well as have a willingness to be open about storing items in a fashion that is anything but typical. The result is a stylish, albeit compact, space where the island functionally multi-tasks its utility: prepping, cooking, cleaning up, and entertaining – all the while inviting gathering and conversation.”

“We removed two walls and made it open concept into the living area,” Mertz explained. “We moved the entrance to our garage over a good five feet and bumped out a pantry. And we took down all the brick in the living room and replaced it with shiplap.”

“The fireplace was a challenge,” said general contractor Shawn Kolasinski. “The concrete block plus solid brick was built to last. We got through it, and the result was phenomenal. We all loved the shiplap that replaced the ’60s brick surrounding the fireplace. Replacing the existing wall with a beam, buried in a lit-up dropped ceiling, made the space an open yet intimate conversation area.”

Mertz said the new open-concept design gives her home a whole new look and feel.

“It’s much more modern now,” she said. “The kitchen was small and closed off. Now it’s much more spacious.”

Appliances in the new kitchen include a GE dishwasher and Viking range kept from the original kitchen, and new Kitchenaid appliances including a French door refrigerator, over-the-range microwave, and bar wine refrigerator.

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“The Blanco sink was moved to the island and faces toward back yard,” Mertz explained. “While using the sink you can look out through the window to the back yard. It’s like you’re at a park. It’s beautiful.”

The island also features plentiful cabinet space, a slide-out garbage, and a dishwasher, as well as the wine refrigerator.

Seating includes bar stools around the island and a very special dining room table.

“It’s rectangular whitewashed with two wicker end chairs,” Mertz said. “It’s got a farm style to it, but it does work together with the rest of the decor. We love it.”

Dark brown Pergo flooring includes a hint of red for a lively contrast to the kitchen’s off-white cupboards, grayish island, and stainless-steel appliances.

“We put new flooring in when we bought the house, so we decided to keep the flooring that we had when we remodeled the kitchen,” Mertz said. “We have two big dogs so it hides a lot!”

Mertz loves her new kitchen and her new open-concept design home.

“It’s great for entertaining. We have a big family, so it’s nice to have everybody over. It’s much easier to entertain now,” she said. “We really enjoyed working with Kelly and Shawn. They were amazing to work with and we highly recommend them to everyone.” D

Seating in the kitchen includes bar stools around the island but there's also a whitewashed farmstyle table capped with two wicker end chairs nearby. "We love it," said homeowner Jenny Mertz of the unique table design and complete kitchen remodel.